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This is a great piece I came across by Mike Rowe, presenter of TVs Dirty Jobs (Trailer Here), in which he goes around working with people in jobs most people would think are horrible. The piece to hand stems from a guy who writes to Rowe asking him for help in finding his ideal job.

The original full article was found on Top Right News and I have included both letters below. ITs a really great view on life from a guy who has seen a lot of jobs!

ORIGINAL LETTER:

Hey Mike! I’ve spent this last year trying to figure out the right career for myself and I still can’t figure out what to do. I have always been a hands on kind of guy and a go-getter. I could never be an office worker. I need change, excitement, and adventure in my life, but where the pay is steady. I grew up in construction and my first job was a restoration project. I love everything outdoors. I play music for extra money. I like trying pretty much everything, but get bored very easily. I want a career that will always keep me happy, but can allow me to have a family and get some time to travel. I figure if anyone knows jobs its you so I was wondering your thoughts on this if you ever get the time! Thank you!

- Parker Hall

MIKE’S RESPONSE:

Hi Parker,

My first thought is that you should learn to weld and move to North Dakota. The opportunities are enormous, and as a “hands-on go-getter,” you’re qualified for the work. But after reading your post a second time, it occurs to me that your qualifications are not the reason you can’t find the career you want.

I had drinks last night with a woman I know. Let’s call her Claire. Claire just turned 42. She’s cute, smart, and successful. She’s frustrated though, because she can’t find a man. I listened all evening about how difficult her search has been. About how all the “good ones” were taken. About how her other friends had found their soul-mates, and how it wasn’t fair that she had not.

“Look at me,” she said. “I take care of myself. I’ve put myself out there. Why is this so hard?”

“How about that guy at the end of the bar,” I said. “He keeps looking at you.”

“Not my type.”

“Really? How do you know?”

“I just know.”

“Have you tried a dating site?” I asked.

“Are you kidding? I would never date someone I met online!”

“Alright. How about a change of scene? Your company has offices all over – maybe try living in another city?”

“What? Leave San Francisco? Never!”

“How about the other side of town? You know, mix it up a little. Visit different places. New museums, new bars, new theaters…?”

She looked at me like I had two heads. “Why the hell would I do that?”

Here’s the thing, Parker. Claire doesn’t really want a man. She wants the “right” man. She wants a soul-mate. Specifically, a soul-mate from her zip code. She assembled this guy in her mind years ago, and now, dammit, she’s tired of waiting!!

I didn’t tell her this, because Claire has the capacity for sudden violence. But it’s true. She complains about being alone, even though her rules have more or less guaranteed she’ll stay that way. She has built a wall between herself and her goal. A wall made of conditions and expectations. Is it possible that you’ve built a similar wall?

Consider your own words. You don’t want a career – you want the “right” career. You need “excitement” and “adventure,” but not at the expense of stability. You want lots of “change” and the “freedom to travel,” but you need the certainty of “steady pay.” You talk about being “easily bored” as though boredom is out of your control. It isn’t. Boredom is a choice. Like tardiness. Or interrupting. It’s one thing to “love the outdoors,” but you take it a step further. You vow to “never” take an office job. You talk about the needs of your family, even though that family doesn’t exist. And finally, you say the career you describe must “always” make you “happy.”

These are my thoughts. You may choose to ignore them and I wouldn’t blame you – especially after being compared to a 42 year old woman who can’t find love. But since you asked…

Stop looking for the “right” career, and start looking for a job. Any job. Forget about what you like. Focus on what’s available. Get yourself hired. Show up early. Stay late. Volunteer for the scut work. Become indispensable. You can always quit later, and be no worse off than you are today. But don’t waste another year looking for a career that doesn’t exist. And most of all, stop worrying about your happiness. Happiness does not come from a job. It comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that’s consistent with those beliefs.
Many people today resent the suggestion that they’re in charge of the way the feel. But trust me, Parker. Those people are mistaken. That was a big lesson from Dirty Jobs, and I learned it several hundred times before it stuck. What you do, who you’re with, and how you feel about the world around you, is completely up to you.

Good luck -
Mike

P.S. I’m serious about welding and North Dakota. Those guys are writing their own ticket.

I really like these quotes found on Marc and Angel Hack Life. They are all about the power of changin how you think. You dont need to remember them all, but ask yourself some of these questions and see where the they take you.

You cannot change what you refuse to confront.

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

Don’t think of cost. Think of value.

Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.

Too many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t know.

No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

If a person wants to be a part of your life, they will make an obvious effort to do so. Think twice before reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.

Making one person smile can change the world – maybe not the whole world, but their world.

Saying someone is ugly doesn’t make you any prettier.

The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well.

Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it.

The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.

It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.

As we grow up, we realize it becomes less important to have more friends and more important to have real ones.

Making a hundred friends is not a miracle. The miracle is to make a single friend who will stand by your side even when hundreds are against you.

Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go and move on.

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, etc…

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.

Don’t choose the one who is beautiful to the world; choose the one who makes your world beautiful.

Falling in love is not a choice. To stay in love is.

True love isn’t about being inseparable; it’s about two people being true to each other even when they are separated.

While you’re busy looking for the perfect person, you’ll probably miss the imperfect person who could make you perfectly happy.

Never do something permanently foolish just because you are temporarily upset.

You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.

In life, if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything.

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.

There isn’t anything noble about being superior to another person. True nobility is in being superior to the person you once were.

Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.

You will never become who you want to be if you keep blaming everyone else for who you are now.

People are more what they hide than what they show.

Sometimes people don’t notice the things others do for them until they stop doing them.

Don’t listen to what people say, watch what they do.

Being alone does not mean you are lonely, and being lonely does not mean you are alone.

Love is not about sex, going on fancy dates, or showing off. It’s about being with a person who makes you happy in a way nobody else can.

Anyone can come into your life and say how much they love you. It takes someone really special to stay in your life and show how much they love you.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion; today is special.

Love and appreciate your parents. We are often so busy growing up, we forget they are also growing old.

When you have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you, it’s probably time to change the people around you.

Learn to love yourself first, instead of loving the idea of other people loving you.

When someone tells you, “You’ve changed,” it might simply be because you’ve stopped living your life their way.

Someone else doesn’t have to be wrong for you to be right.

Be happy. Be yourself. If others don’t like it, then let them be. Happiness is a choice. Life isn’t about pleasing everybody.

When you’re up, your friends know who you are. When you’re down, you know who your friends are.

Don’t look for someone who will solve all your problems; look for someone who will face them with you.

If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you’re fooling yourself. That’s like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn’t eat him.

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.

Many people are so poor because the only thing they have is money.

Learn to appreciate the things you have before time forces you appreciate the things you once had.

When you choose to see the good in others, you end up finding the good in yourself.

You don’t drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

It’s better to know and be disappointed than to never know and always wonder.

There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.

Happiness is not determined by what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening inside you. Most people depend on others to gain happiness, but the truth is, it always comes from within.

If you tell the truth, it becomes a part of your past. If you lie, it becomes a part of your future.

What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while.

You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.

Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.

Tony Robbins is one of the founding fathers of life coaching. The way he talks is very inspirational, and makes complete sense. In this excerpt he is talking to two Internet Entrepreneurs, one who was believed to be the first person to make $1m in ONE DAY online. They talk about how they got the initial drive to get going.

The first minute is worth the watch alone, but I think it will grab you. I have watched a lot of Tony Robbins, and I think this is one of his best videos. I have included the full 45min video below the shortened version for those who want to watch more.

Here are some superb inspirational quotes by JD Hooge speaking in Portland Oregon, USA at a Creative Morning’s event.

Be allergic to bullshit

Make the complex, simple

Be honest, build trust, be honest

Don’t believe in luck

Hustle

Be inspired by the pioneer spirit

Perfection is so last decade

Chase the small ideas

Begin anywhere

Slow down

Get Personal, Stay Personal

We are all making it up as we go along

My favourites of the bunch:

Be Honest, build trust, Be honest – This is essential not just in life but in business. If you have a company that sells something, as soon as you stop doing this you are finished unless you change quickly. In the early days of Google they are said to of had on the wall in their offices, “Don’t be Evil”.

Begin Anywhere – it is the hardest part of any journey. Whether you are going to cycle across the world, or you are trying to get motivated on the next project. Writ down the next step, and do it. Sounds simple but it is essentially the hardest part of any task. If you want to read more into this, then I recommend buying Getting Things Done by David Allen. He is the master of this philosophy, and he is a really genuine guy. He has worked with most of the Fortune 500 companies so he really knows his stuff whatever level you are at.

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Superbly put together video about the Universe. Featuring the voice of Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Full credit list below… Superb video, superb soundtrack, very inspiring. Basically the background of the speech is astrophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson was asked by a reader of TIME magazine, “What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the Universe?” This is his answer.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson goes on to say “For me, that is the most profound revelation of 20th century astrophysics and I look forward to what the 21st century will bring us, given the frontiers that are now unfolding.”

Special thanks to Carl Sagan, Neil Degrasse Tyson, and NASA for their inspiration.

Today I found this website called “Makes Me Think”. It is full of interesting short quotes about various topics of the day. This one struck me…

Today, I interviewed a woman who is terminally ill. “So,” I tried to delicately ask, “What is it like to wake up every morning and know that you are dying?” “Well,” she responded, “What is it like to wake up every morning and pretend that you are not?” MMT

I was sent this video the other day entitled “2009-2011 Reflection”, by Paper Fortress.

The guys name is Stebs, and is from America. He has got a real talent for getting a very clean artistic shot, so check out his other videos. However this video is a subtly inspirational video that brought a smile to my face due to the message and the qulaity and variety in the shooting.

This is how Stebs summarises the video

Over the past year and a half, I have had the chance to work with so many amazing people, and watch so many of their lives change either though building their businesses or through simply experiencing life and enjoying everything it has to offer. I cherish every single one of the people I come into contact with and I appreciate everything that these people have given me. From the long road trips and sleepless nights looking for hidden skate spots, to the countless hours learning about all the hard work someone has put into their art and business, I felt compelled to put together a reflection of my work over the past year and a half. I wanted this piece to reflect my work as a whole, but also show my love for the people I have worked with. I wanted to show them how much they have shaped my life, and how being surrounded by passionate and endearing people has truly made a difference in my life. I hope to never stop doing what I am doing, and that I continue to meet amazing people every single day.

Thank you to all the people who have made my life so wonderful, and thank you to all the people who have been supporting my passion and showing their appreciation for what I do. I hope to keep repaying you in every way I can, and I hope that you keep enjoying the work I put out.

Enjoy… make sure to click HD to enjoy the visual as they were meant to

If you enjoyed this video let us know in the comments below! Seen any similar?

Sorry for the lack of posts for a while. I have been very busy with projects. However this came across me. It is from the Charlie Chaplin film The Great Dictator. The film is a spoof of Hitler and was released while World War 2 was still on. Over 70 years ago but it is even more relevant today than it was then.

“… You, the people have the power! The power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people have the power, to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure! …”

This video is an alternative version which mixes in alternative video. It is good also but Chaplin’s performance should not be missed. The great comedian speaks the truth. This version of The Great Dictator speech features the song Window by The Album Leaf.

Transcript of the speech:

I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an Emperor, that’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that. We all want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate;
has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in:
machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.
Our knowledge has made us cynical,
our cleverness hard and unkind.
We think too much and feel too little:
More than machinery we need humanity;
More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.

Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me I say “Do not despair”.

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die [now] liberty will never perish. . .

Soldiers: don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel, who drill you, diet you, treat you as cattle, as cannon fodder.

Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines. You are not cattle. You are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don’t hate, only the unloved hate. Only the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers: don’t fight for slavery, fight for liberty.

In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written:
“The kingdom of God is within man”
Not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men; in you, the people.

You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let’s use that power, let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfil that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.

Soldiers! In the name of democracy, let us all unite!

. . .

Look up! Look up! The clouds are lifting, the sun is breaking through. We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world. A kind new world where men will rise above their hate and brutality.

The soul of man has been given wings, and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow, into the light of hope, into the future, that glorious future that belongs to you, to me and to all of us. Look up. Look up.